State Feed: Montana

National Voter Rights Group Calls on Montana to Prosecute Petition Signature Fraud

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:46:49 -0400

(LAKE RIDGE, VA) – Today, Citizens in Charge Foundation, a transpartisan national voter rights group focused on the ballot initiative and referendum process, calls on election officials in Montana to file charges against signature gatherers for the Initiative 161 campaign after forged petition signatures were found to have been submitted in four different counties in the state.

Montana: Medical marijuana repeal focus of groups signature gathering effort

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:26:29 -0400

A group trying to repeal Montana’s medical marijuana law received the approved petition Friday evening and can now collect signatures to put the initiative on the November ballot.

Read the story from KXLF 4

Montana: Treatment initiative tossed due to budget

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:31:34 -0400

A proposed ballot initiative that would divert alcohol tax money for prevention and treatment efforts as a way to reduce repeat drunk driving offenses is being scrapped amid state budget concerns. Backers of Initiative 163 announced Monday they will be withdrawing the petition from consideration on the November ballot. Current Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike McGrath, previously state attorney general, had been helping with the effort.

Read the story from CNBC

Montana: Repeal of medical marijuana law is group's goal

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:04:12 -0400

A group trying to repeal Montana’s medical marijuana law expects to have only about a week to collect the 24,000 signatures needed to get the initiative on the November ballot. Attorney General Steve Bullock’s office has written a summary of the initiative proposed by Safe Community, Safe Kids and has set a deadline of noon on Friday for interested parties to comment or accept the wording that would appear on the ballot.

Montana: Realtor group largest fundraiser for ballot measure

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:00:42 -0400

The real estate industry has raised more than $600,000 so far to gather signatures for a ballot measure that would amend the Montana Constitution to forbid state and local governments from ever imposing taxes on real estate transfers or sales. The Coalition to Prevent Double Taxation has collected and spent more than any other group promoting or opposing Montana ballot measures this year, according to campaign finance reports filed this week with the state Commissioner of Political Practices Office.

Montana: Supporters and opponents of marijuana want initiative do-over

Thu, 27 May 2010 12:16:45 -0400

Do over. That’s what some medical marijuana supporters and opponents want with the law that made the drug legal in Montana. Both sides are now pushing to get a new initiative on the November ballot. The new measure would repeal the very law voters approved that legalized the drug for medicinal purposes. The new initiative would ask voters to undo their 2004 decision legalizing medical marijuana and that’s leaving some strong opinions.

Read the story from KULR 8

Montana: Interest rate cap initiative proposed

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:45:24 -0500

A coalition of Montana consumer groups is backing a voter initiative to cap interest rates for payday and title loans at 36 percent. Announcing their plans at a press conference Tuesday at the Great Northern Hotel, representatives of senior, low-income, women’s and religious groups said that in these tough economic times, interest rates of 400 percent or more amounted to a “debt trap” for the most vulnerable.

Montana: Update on Alcohol tax measure

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:33:50 -0500

Montana Supreme Court Justice and former Attorney General Mike McGrath has unveiled a ballot initiative that would earmark $5 million per year in state alcohol taxes to pay for addiction treatment, prevention, and drug/DUI courts, KFBB-TV reported Feb. 9. The Montana Alcohol Abuse and Drug-Free Plan was announced during McGrath’s recent appearance before the legislature’s Law & Justice Interim Committee.

Read the story from Join Together

Montana: Blogs discuss Justice proposing ballot measure

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:28:41 -0500

Under the headline, “Things a Chief Justice oughtn’t be doing,” Travis Kavulla over at Electric City Weblog writes: “Pitching a voter initiative qualifies in my book.”

Read the story from the Flathead Beacon

Montana: Initiative put forth by Justice

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:04:01 -0500

The state’s Supreme Court chief justice is advocating a new ballot measure that would use alcohol tax money for prevention and treatment efforts. Mike McGrath, who used to be the state’s attorney general, pitched the plan to a legislative committee Tuesday.

Read the story from the Great Falls Tribune

Montana: Initiative goal is wildlife access

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:07:55 -0500

The struggle for access to public wildlife on private land in Montana may go to the ballot box in the form of a citizen’s initiative that would abolish outfitter-sponsored nonresident big game licenses. Citizen’s Initiative 161, sponsored by Montana Public Wildlife, was certified by the Montana Secretary of State’s Office and is out for signature gathering. If enough people sign the petition, it will be on the ballot in November.

Montana: Property tax system prompts concerns, possible ballot measure

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:34:12 -0500

The state’s property tax systems is broken, area residents told Montana legislators at a town hall meeting last week at Flathead Valley Community College. Nine state legislators, all Republican, were present at the session, which gave people a chance to air their concerns and suggest solutions. This was the second meeting organized by Rep. Scott Reichner of Bigfork held in response to concerns he received about the recent reappraisal cycle that more than doubled some residents’ property taxes, particularly for those with lakefront property.

Bond vote potentially put off until 2011

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:15:19 -0500

If the school board tries to pass a bond issue, it won’t happen until 2011. Natrona County School District staff members and board members re-evaluated information from investment banking firm George K. Baum and Co. of Cheyenne on Monday concerning the possibility of asking district voters to authorize issuance of bonds for several construction projects. Several board members said gathering community support for such a proposal would not be possible before 2011.

Property tax cap could be on ballot in Montana

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:13:12 -0500

A Kalispell man says he will try again to limit property tax increases with a constitutional ballot measure. John McMenamin failed last year to get enough signatures for placing a measure on the ballot that would have capped homeowners’ property tax increases at 1.5 percent a year.

Read the story from the Great Falls Tribune

Bond measure for library possible

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:28 -0400

City officials are pushing ahead with plans to move the Parmly Billings Library into the nearby Gainan’s building at 502 N. 30th St. Because the project partially relies on federal stimulus funds that must be allocated by the end of 2010, the city is moving quickly.

Read the story from the Billings Gazette

Rally in Helena, Montana for pro-life ballot measure

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:33:31 -0400

Pro-life supporters wrapped up a weekend-long tour of several cities to introduce a new initiative they hope to get on the 2010 general election ballot on Sunday. CI-102 would add unborn babies to the definition of “person” under the Montana code.

Read the story from KPAX 8

First test passed for trapping ban initiative in Montana

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:42:54 -0400

An initiative to ban trapping on public land in Montana has cleared its first hurdle toward appearing on the November 2010 ballot. The Montana Secretary of State’s office has concluded that the initiative proposed by Florence-based Footloose Montana can appear on the ballot if backers can get enough signatures to qualify the measure.

Read the story from The Missoulian

Student Senate will weigh in on possible ballot initiative

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:21:27 -0400

The ASUM Senate will discuss Wednesday whether it supports a possible 2010 state ballot initiative that would redefine “person” in the due process clause. ASUM Senator Patrick Rhea and Students for Choice campus organizer Daniel Viehland co-wrote the resolution, which centers on student concerns regarding the impact of what Rhea and Viehland consider vague wording in the initiative.

Read the story from the Montana Kaimin

Montana Secretary of State informing public of initiative process and its uses

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:38:34 -0400

The 2010 General Election is still more than a year away, but the campaign process has already begun. Officials report that 10 ballot issues have been submitted so far and Secretary of State Linda McCulloch is offering presentations to clarify the guidelines for proposed initiatives and referendums. She hopes more Montanans will go through the ballot issue process, “It goes through that process for the benefit of folks wanting to put forth a ballot issue, so its there to help you. But you have the ability to say yes or no”.

Montana abortion initiative ballot language passes

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:34:34 -0400

The attorney general approved ballot language for a proposed change to the constitution aimed at restricting abortions. Constitutional Initiative 102 defines a “person” as beginning of a human being’s biological development. A similar proposal fell short in 2008. It will take more than 40,000 signatures to make it on the 2010 ballot. Opponents call the proposal an extremist measure that runs against women’s right to privacy and it’s full of unintended consequences.